Going European With Contemporary Cabinet Design

Kitchen and bathroom remodels are the two smartest investments you can undertake when it comes to improving your home. Consequently, both require careful consideration when it comes to choosing the right cabinetry. While traditional face frame cabinetry appeals to many homeowners with its recessed panel doors, crown molding, and other decorative features that are common in face frame construction, others like a more contemporary feel. Call it whatever you like: futuristic, streamlined, sleek or efficient, contemporary bathroom cabinet and kitchen cabinet design strives for a modern feel, sharp, straight lines, and the emphasis on functionality that has come to define contemporary design in all areas of the home.

Why European Design and the Contemporary Kitchen Cabinet Go Hand-in-Hand

When people talk about contemporary bathroom cabinet or kitchen cabinet design, they’ll immediately begin referring to European cabinet design. The reason has as much to do with cabinet building styles as any continental design trends. While American cabinetry has traditionally embraced face frame cabinetry, a style that brings out more texture and allows for spacing between doors and drawers, European cabinet makers have largely adopted faceless cabinetry styles. Because of how it’s built, faceless cabinetry has a smoother, more uniform appearance, with doors and drawers that reveal little spacing in between. In other words, when a contractor or retailer starts talking European design, they’re referring to faceless cabinetry. And whether you’re talking a contemporary kitchen cabinet, a contemporary bathroom cabinet or any other contemporary cabinet, faceless cabinetry is the only way to go.

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Contemporary Doesn’t Mean Boring

Some homeowners refer to contemporary design as feeling cold, hard, and emotionless. While that may be accurate in some cases, contemporary kitchen cabinet and contemporary bathroom cabinet design certainly doesn’t have to mean any of those things. You can count on straight, sharp lines and cabinetry designed for efficiency and functionality, but when it comes to colors, layouts and accompanying appliances and architecture, contemporary kitchen cabinet design can be every bit as exciting as its more traditional counterparts. Whether you’re designing a kitchen or a contemporary bathroom cabinet, contemporary cabinet design tends to focus on the whole rather than on smaller details. That means more attention is paid to the juxtaposition and blending of different colors, to how to use those colors to emphasize certain areas and architectural features, and in placing more emphasis on creating functional spaces instead of focusing on small details or frills.

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Talk to a Pro about Contemporary Kitchen Cabinet Design

With such a strong emphasis on function, efficiency, and achieving an attractive, modern look that communicates these traits, it’s not a bad idea to talk to a cabinetry professional when you design, choose, and install your contemporary bathroom cabinet or kitchen cabinetry. Cabinet installers and makers who specialize in contemporary cabinet design are an excellent resource, as are interior designers and decorators. In fact, contacting professionals may be even more important with contemporary designs than more traditional ones. Contemporary kitchens are usually installed in contemporary homes. Creating a kitchen design that matches that aesthetic is important, and choosing the right contemporary kitchen cabinet or contemporary bathroom cabinet is one of the most important pieces in putting together that puzzle. That said, hiring a professional is an excellent way to ensure your new cabinets are as contemporary as the rest of your home.